I live in the dogs' house

Month: March 2013

On Sunday we made a trip to Houston to rescue two tiny Chihuahua sisters about 8 weeks old. Yes, they are the cutest little beings ever! The tiniest one, Zoe, weighs 0.9 pounds, the bigger one, Keira, weighs 2.4 pounds. Yesterday they went for their first veterinarian visit and received a clear bill of health; they didn’t even have worms which is fairly common with puppies. They got their first puppy shots, received worm medicine to make sure none of the little bastards are lurking in their systems, and their first heartworm prevention pill. They’ll continue the puppy inoculations on a usual schedule.

Today we went to our vet clinic to have their photographs done by a professional photographer who donates her time and energy to rescues in the area. She took pictures of 9 little critters today so it will be a few days before we get to see how ours turned out. The goal now is to keep the little ones healthy and happy. We will be re-homing Keira but keeping Zoe. Zoe is an apple-head Chihuahua and I’ve been wanting another one ever since we got Dusty. This one seems to have the same personality that Dusty has, too. She is relaxed and loves to be held and cuddled….just my kind of canine. Keira is all puppy– goes 90 MPH 24/7, rough & tumble, very vocal and playful.

On another note, I’ve been too busy to get in the sewing room again but took a trip to the fabric store today. I’m about to embark on a new project that is a gift for a family member. Tomorrow I have to take Fancy and Dusty to the vet for their yearly check-ups and shots so I more than likely will not get to sew tomorrow either. Between working on computers, running errands, doctors’ appointments, and dogs to the vet I’ve had no real ME time lately. I have just been stacking things up in the sewing room; you can barely see the tables! LOL But there’ll be a bunch of new “toys” to play with in time.

The new desktop PC arrived on Thursday; I’ve spent the past 2 days taking off crapware and installing my software, setting up email, iTunes, etc. Ronnie drilled a hole in the back bottom of my desk in order to run the wires where the dogs wouldn’t eat them. This stuff is too expensive to feed to the 4-legged children. Luckily the dogs haven’t been interested in the computer. They smelled of the boxes until we dragged them out to the garage but have left the PC alone. I ordered it with 12 GB RAM knowing that I’d more than likely have to upgrade from there but it’s cheaper to buy locally than to have HP install it. And it does need more, probably another 16 GB and I’ll be set to run my graphics programs for my embroidery machine. I’ve printed out all the details I need to take to the store, just too lazy to do errands again today. The good thing about retirement is there’s always tomorrow. LOL

The UPS system arrived yesterday, charged overnight and installed today. Works perfectly so now I don’t have to worry the next time I stitch a huge multi-stitch pattern that we may have another power dip. I tested it by unplugging it from the wall with the machine plugged into it and turned on. It switched to battery backup immediately and showed that I could run the machine as it was for 61 minutes. I think that should do it! Haven’t had time to do any sewing for a couple of days due to doctors’ appointments and errands. Still have one more day of errands but after that I should be on GO again. I’ve found I can think up projects a whole lot faster than I can do them. LOL I guess it’s that way with any hobby, really. I’m just tickled that I found something that I love so much; it keeps me happy and motivated, and allows me to give gifts that no one else can give. Nothing like a unique gift, no matter what it is or to whom it is given. I have received so much in my life and it’s nice to be able to give something back, no matter how small or insignificant. Makes me smile…….

Today was another productive day, if frustrating to a certain degree. I decided to make the sewing machine and serger covers since I’m waiting on the UPS backup I ordered from Amazon and I don’t want to start the next embroidery design without it. If we experience another power blip while I’m stitching out 80,000 stitches I don’t know if I’d ever go back and do it again. That’s about 3 hours of stitching, just changing thread colors and watching the machine run. Boring and stressful, just waiting for something to happen and this design requires 45 thread changes. I don’t think I’ve ever done one with that many changes. That means I have to rethread the machine 45 times just to stitch one 8″ x 8″ design. It’s a beautiful pattern, of course, or no one would expend that much effort to stitch it. I’d rather have insurance against a repeat of what happened with Ronnie’s shirt. It’ll be a beautiful design and a nice gift for a family member so I don’t want to screw it up!

The machine covers are made out of the same fabric as the table skirts–I just bought extra skirts and cut them up for the cloth. So they all match, but the room is very dark at night when the only light is from fixtures. I didn’t have a pattern for the Babylock logo so I had to make up the embroidery pattern myself, which worked out famously, as you see. Then I ran out of gold braid, went back to the store to pick up some more and found out they didn’t have any. It would have cost me $40 to order it online because they only sell it in lots of 25 yards and the shipping was $11+. I didn’t need it that bad, so I had to sit and rip out the entire spool that I’d already sewn onto the first cover I’d made. I hate ripping out! In fact, I don’t know anyone who likes ripping anything out.

It’s another project completed, and another point in my favor. Score one for the home team!

Today was a productive day. I got my friend’s blankets made and in the mail. And she loves them. YES!!!!!! Another point for my side.

And I got the table skirts on. Tomorrow I will probably start making the covers for the machines out of this same fabric. I bought enough table skirts so I’d have matching fabric for the machine covers. Wish me luck!

Today was a fabric shopping day. I have been commissioned (by a rescue friend) to make blankets for her dogs. I’ve never sewn for money before, and this will more than likely be the last time I do, so it should be interesting. After fabric I went in for a pedicure and refill then I went grocery shopping. Needless to say I didn’t get much done around here with all the errands on my schedule today. Tomorrow I have one appointment, then I hope to start on these blankets. I also have one to do (with a huge design) for a gift. Ronnie is working a lot of hours right now with inventory so maybe this will allow me to “make hay while the sun shines”.

The blankets I mailed Monday to another friend were received well. She loved them and I’m so happy about it. One point for my side!

This is the project I completed today. I stitched the two designs on the front of this shirt. Below you see Ronnie modeling them. He was very pleased with it even though it took me a couple of months to finish it.

In the middle of stitching the first design we had a power dip and I had to rip it out and redo the entire design. It was very frustrating, to say the least! Now I see why those “in the know” suggested a backup power system

I will definitely be purchasing one in the NEAR future! Sometimes it’s challenging enough just to stitch the designs correctly without damaging the item; I sure don’t need fluctuating power levels to screw me around (I do that to myself enough already LOL)

I finally got to finish the last two designs on the four blankets I was working on. I think my next project will be something besides a dog. LOL I’m pretty sick of looking at these because I’ve been working on them for the past couple of weeks. I think I’ll go back and finish Ronnie’s shirt now. He’s probably wondering what happened to it. After I stitched the huge horse on the back I had to take a break but it’s been a long damned break, so back to the drawing board. And on Monday these can go in the mail.

I got the clips for the table skirts in the mail yesterday…..and they were the wrong ones, so I mailed them back this morning so they can refund my money, and I ordered the ones that “ought” to fit. Crossing my fingers on that one, but they were the largest size and, since they’re metal, they will bend if they’re not. The ones I sent back were plastic. Live and learn.

It’s taking shape! Yesterday they called and told me my EG was ready to be picked up so, of course, that was one of the first things I did today. So happy to have it back. Pictures are panoramics of my sewing room as it looks tonight, and the design I did on the 3rd blanket today when I got the machine back. Only one more blanket to go in this box. I’ll have to prestitch the design before I stitch the final design on the blanket itself. Since I downloaded the designs and had to recolor them all, I have to make sure I’ve chosen the right colors before I do the final stitch out. (Usually if I mess up a blanket the dogs get an extra one but I prefer not to have to start over.) Hopefully I’ll get that done tomorrow so the box can be put in the mail soon. I got an email this morning saying the clips for the table skirts are in the mail (via USPS and no estimate on when they’re due to arrive) so soon that will get wrapped up as well.

In the morning Jolie will have to be at the vet by 7:30 to have her dental appointment and vaccinations. When I pick her up I’ll take Bandit for his vaccinations and that will make 4 dogs of the 7 that will be all done for this year. They get a little expensive this time of year. The two last week cost $561 and I’m expecting the same or more this week due to Jolie’s health issues. We may have to do pre-anesthesia labwork, and if Susan (vet) deems her health to be compromised Jolie may not be able to be put to sleep. We’ll know more tomorrow after Susan sees her. I have my fingers crossed because Jolie’s breath is pretty bad so I know she needs the dental care.

Since I’ll be up early and have most of the day free waiting for the vet’s office to call about Jolie that will give me ample opportunity to sew and that’s exactly what I intend to do. I’ll have to carve out some time to make a cake for Ronnie to take to work since I didn’t get it done today. I’ve been cooking a lot more since I retired so Ronnie has had more good lunches (which he shares at work) and more desserts to take for the entire crew. Yesterday one of the guys said he’s loving me being retired. LOL So am I!!!!!!!!!!

The last table just arrived! Yay! Now I won’t have to sit on the floor to cut out fabric. Just waiting for my sewing machine to come back from the shop. The burgundy skirts for the tables haven’t even been taken out of the boxes yet. The next burst of energy I get will work for that.

Update: Oh, hell! I needed to order the clips for the tablecloths separately! I thought they came with the table skirts! Well, they’re ordered now, dammit!